# US 9,434,597 B2 · Spout apparatus, systems and methods

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- Number: US 9,434,597 B2
- Document ID: US9434597B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/055,642
- Filed: 2016-02-29
- Published: 2016-06-23
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-13
- Assignees: Capton, Inc.
- Applicants: Capton, Inc.
- Inventors: Charles J. Brower
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434597B2

## CPC

- B67D 3/0041: {with provisions for metering the liquid to be dispensed}
- B65D 47/06: with pouring spouts or tubes; with discharge nozzles or passages (with slidable spouts B65D47/26)
- B67D 3/0051: {dispensing by tilting}
- G01C 9/06: Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
- G01F 1/00: Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow (measuring a proportion of the volume flow G01F5/00)
- G01F 13/006: {measuring volume in function of time}
- G01F 15/024: {involving digital counting}
- G01F 15/063: using electrical means
- B67D: DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (cleaning pipes or tubes or systems of pipes or tubes B08B9/02; emptying or filling of bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels, or similar containers, not otherwise provided for B67C; water supply E03; pipe systems F17D; domestic hot-water supply systems F24D; measuring volume, volume flow, mass flow or liquid level, metering by volume G01F; coin-freed or like apparatus G07F)
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME

## Abstract

A spout is disclosed capable of detecting if it is properly “on” or “off” the container according to tilt characteristics of the spout as determined by accelerometer and other sensor data. The tilt characteristics can be applied to one or more sets of coupling criteria, which if met, can provide an indication that the spout is “on bottle” or “off bottle”.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A dispensing spout comprising:
a tilt sensor configured to generate a plurality of angle measurements, wherein each angle measurement comprises an instant measured orientation angle of the spout with respect to a reference orientation;
a memory configured to store a spout coupling criteria, wherein the spout coupling criteria is satisfied if at least one of the angle measurements generated by the tilt sensor exceeds a threshold angle for a threshold duration; and
a detector circuit coupled with the tilt sensor, the detector circuit having a processor programmed to:
determine that at least one angle measurement from the plurality of angle measurements exceeds the threshold angle;
measure a tilt duration, the tilt duration comprising a measurement of time that the at least one measurement exceeds the threshold angle; and
generate a spout coupling state message upon the measured tilt duration satisfying the threshold duration of the spout coupling criteria, wherein the spout coupling state message provides an indication of the spout being off of a container.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The spout of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:
determine that at least one second angle measurement from the plurality of angle measurements exceeds a second threshold angle, wherein the second threshold angle exceeds the threshold angle;
restart the measurement of the tilt duration to measure a second tilt duration, the second tilt duration comprising the measurement of time following the restart that the at least one second angle measurement exceeds the second threshold angle; and
generate the spout coupling state message upon the second tilt duration satisfying the threshold duration of the spout coupling criteria.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The spout of claim 2, wherein the processor is further programmed to:
determine, during the measurement of the second tilt duration, that at least one third angle measurement from the plurality of angle measurements exceeds the threshold angle but does not exceed the second threshold angle;
restart the measurement of the second tilt duration to measure a third tilt duration, the third tilt duration comprising the measurement of time following the restart of the second tilt duration that the at least one third angle measurement exceeds the first threshold angle but does not exceed the second threshold angle; and
generate the spout coupling state message upon the third tilt duration satisfying the threshold duration of the spout coupling criteria.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The spout of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to:
determine, prior to the measured tilt duration satisfying the threshold duration of the spout coupling criteria, that a second angle measurement from the plurality of angle measurements does not exceed the threshold angle; and
generate a second spout coupling state message, wherein the second spout coupling state message provides an indication of the spout being on the container.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The spout of claim 1, wherein the spout coupling criteria is further satisfied if the at least one of the angle measurements exceeds a threshold angle and is within a specified angle range for a second threshold duration, wherein the second threshold duration is shorter than the threshold duration, and wherein the processor is further programmed to:
determine that the at least one angle measurement from the plurality of angle measurements is within the specified angle range;
measure a second tilt duration, the second tilt duration comprising a measurement of time that the at least one measurement is within the specified angle range; and
generate a spout coupling state message upon the second measured tilt duration satisfying the second threshold duration of the spout coupling criteria, wherein the spout coupling state message provides an indication of the spout being off of a container.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The spout of claim 5, wherein the specified angle range corresponds to a natural at-rest angle of the spout on a horizontal surface.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The spout of claim 6, wherein the spout coupling criteria is further satisfied if the at least one of the angle measurements exceeds the threshold angle and is within a second specified angle range for a third duration threshold, wherein the third duration threshold is shorter than the threshold duration and longer than the second threshold duration.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The spout of claim 7, wherein the second specified angle range corresponds to a non-natural at-rest angle of the spout on a horizontal surface.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The spout of claim 1, wherein the threshold angle is at least 45 degrees off vertical.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The spout of claim 1, further comprising a wireless transmitter coupled with the detector circuit, wherein the detector circuit is further programmed to cause the wireless transmitter to transmit the spout coupling state message.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The spout of claim 1, wherein the tilt sensor comprises an accelerometer.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The spout of claim 1, wherein the reference orientation comprises a relative angle with respect to a container orientation of the container to which the spout is coupled.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The spout of claim 12, wherein the container comprises at least one of the following: a bottle, a medication container, a carton, a collection tube, a flask, and a vessel.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The spout of claim 12, wherein the reference orientation comprises a vertical orientation relative to the container.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The spout of claim 1, further comprising a power source coupled with the tilt sensor and the detector circuit.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The spout of claim 1, wherein the processor is further programmed to modify the threshold angle as a function of an amount of material present in the container.